2015 Kickoff Cleanse

It’s that time of year again!  While it’s always bittersweet to wrap up the festivities and look towards the long winter, I, for one, am a bit relieved now that the holidays and off-season have finally draw to a close.  After this year’s non-traditional fall and a month of visitors/holiday happenings it is definitely time jump back into my routine.  In order to kick things off right, I decided to begin 2015 as I did 2014 in terms of diet.  As of January 6^th, I am amid 35 days of no grains, alcohol, or added sugars.  Just in case you’re curious, here are a few reasons why.

Reason number one why I need to radically clean up my diet

1.       Why January 6^th?  Plain and simple, this was the most convenient starting date for me.  I had company through the 5^th and didn’t want to be worried about reading salad dressing labels the whole time.  Also, starting new ventures on a Monday or on the 1^st of something always gives me a little anxiety and I wind up acting like a dummy in the weekend leading up to this date.  Tuesday the 6^th just sounded like a noninvasive date to re-find old habits.

2.       Why 35 days?  The answer is silly, really.  First, I wanted to incorporate the year 2015 somehow so I added the 20 and the 15, making 35.  35 days ads up to 5 weeks which is a good round number and just about 10% of the New Year.  Also, this ends my “cleanse” on a Wednesday.  I am way less likely to say, “Oh hey, it’s the weekend, let’s go get ice cream and margaritas” on a Wednesday. 

3.       Why no grains?  This is something that is probably unnecessary for most people, especially most athletes.  In addition to having a wheat allergy, I have found that my body is just very sensitive to grains in general and I have much better energy and recovery when I find my sources of carbohydrate in produce (primarily sweet potatoes and fruit).

4.       Why no sugar?  I have a nasty sweet tooth and am definitely a bit of a sugar addict.  However, last year, I found that I was able to break this vice after my sugarless month and maintain the habit for months following.  I’ve definitely fallen off the wagon the past month or so and need to jolt my system back where it belongs before I find myself at the bottom of a very slippery slope.

5.       What does this no sugar thing entail?  No sugar means reading a LOT of labels and not doing a lot of eating out.  It’s shocking how many foods have sugar added into them (most sauces, salad dressings, energy bars, jerky, etc) so one has to be pretty careful.  I also do not add sweetness from most natural sources (honey, molasses, juice, syrup) that are generally seen as ok to eat.  This is only a month so I can manage!  Last year I ended up using a lot of spices for flavor and whole or purred fruit for sweetness.  Doing this takes some trial and error, some recipe hunting, and experimentation but the simple knowledge gained by cooking/eating this way are pretty priceless! 

6.       No drinking, what???  Yes, it’s sugar and empty calories.  Also, for me at least, a few cocktails can lead to poor food decisions so it’s best avoided. 

The final “rule” of my kickoff is that I don’t track any outward physical progress for my 35 days.  On the 6^th, I weighed myself and took measurements and pictures but the scale has now been put away until February 9^th.  The ultimate goal is to be healthier and to train smarter, not to see an arbitrary number on the scale or utilize a new slot on my belt buckle. 

I feel so blessed to have my nutritional endeavors supported by Hammer Nutrition.  They offer a variety of electrolyte, fueling, and recovery options with NO added sugars!

Just doing some supermans with my super-fuel

Please feel free to join me on my little venture but by no means feel obligated!  Everyone finds health their own way; this just happens to be what I’ve found has worked for me in the past.  More than anything, I’m posting this as a means of keeping myself honest.  I’ll be sharing recipes, insights, struggles, and progress throughout the month.  Happy 2015 everyone, it’s comeback time! 

Bring it on 2015!